Electric iron supports



April 1960 T. H. w. HAUSSNER 2,931,609

ELECTRIC IRON SUPPORTS Filed June 5, 1959 INVENTOR 751mm: 1/ m #0 his United States Patent C ELECTRIC IRON SUPPORTS Theodor H. w. Haussner, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application June 5, 1959, Serial No. 818,415

Claims. (Cl. 248--117.1)

This invention relates to a support for flat irons and more particularly to an electric iron support adapted to be attached to an ironing board.

Conventionally, ironing boards have a limited ironing surface so that frequently when large articles are being ironed no space is available to rest the electric iron on the board. To overcome this inconvenience it has heretofore been proposed to attach electric iron supports to the board. However, these prior proposals have not been adapted for general use either because of the amount of space occupied both in the use or non-use positions or because the structure was of such a complex nature that they were uneconomical to manufacture.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fiat iron support comprising a minimum number of parts.

It is a further object to provide a flat iron support which is foldable from a rigid electric iron supporting position to a position of non-use in close proximity to the ironing surface of the board so as to occupy a minimum of space when the ironing boardis stored.

The support in accordance with the preferred embodi ment of the invention comprises a substantially L-shaped bracket of which the base leg is secured to the underside of the ironing board and the up-right leg is parallel to the edge of the board and its free end extends above the ironing surface of the board. Hingedly secured to the free end of the upright leg is an electric iron support tray which projects away fromthe board in its use position substantially parallel to the ironing surface of the board and in its non-use position overlies the ironing board. Hingedly attached to the underside of the iron support tray is a spring urged brace plate having a free edge location adjacent to the upright leg. The spring means is arranged such that in the use position of the iron support tray the free edge of the brace plate is normally urged into contact with a stop member located von the upright leg adjacent the base leg so as to hold and support the tray. In the non-use position of the support tray the brace plate lies flat against the underside of the tray.

Further objects and features will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the ironing tray embodying the present invention in its use or electric iron supporting position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the ironing tray in its non-use or storage position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown a fragmentary view of the wide or butt end of a more or less conventional ironing board to which there is attached the electric iron support of the present invention. The support 10 comprises generally abracket 13, an iron support tray and a brace plate 17.

The bracket 13 is substantially L-shaped having a base leg 19 and an upright leg 21. The bracket 13 is secured to the ironing board B by suitable fastening 2,931,609 Patented Apr. 5, 1960.

means such as screws 23. The base leg 19 and upright leg 21 are sufficiently spaced from the underside and edge'of the board respectively to permit the usual fabric ironing board cover to be attached to the board without interference from the support 10. To this end the desired spacing or gap between the base leg 19 and underside of the board may be obtained by the use of shims such as for example washer 25.

Struck out from the base leg 19 and projecting outwardly from the upright leg 21 adjacent the base is a rectangular lip 27 which serves as a stop member for the brace plate 17 as more fully to be explained hereinafter. As shown the upper edge of the upright leg 21 is curled to form the stationary hinge leaf29 for hingedly attaching the iron supporting tray 15 thereto.

The tray 15 is made from a suitable rigid metallic plate such as aluminum or the like and is shaped in the general form of the sole plate of an electric iron; Projecting upwardly along the outer periphery of the plate is a flange 31 which serves to retain the iron on the tray se as to prevent accidental displacement of the iron therefrom. extensions 33 of which the terminal ends are curled so as to form the moveable hinges 35 through which passes a pintle 37. The hinges 35 are spaced to snugly embrace the stationary hinge 29. It is to be noted the curled or upper edge of the stationary hinges 35 formed on the upright leg 21 is sufliciently extended above the ironing surface of the board such that in the non-use position of the tray as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the tray rests on the ironing board cover C in substantially parallel relationship with the upper surface of the board. In this manner in the non-use position the tray 15 does not unduly project above the board such that only requires a minimum of additional space when the ironing board B is stored.

For the purpose of isolating the heat originating from the electric iron I there is suitably secured in the tray by an adhesive or the like an insulating material such as an asbestos pad 39.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the iron tray is retained in its use position by the brace plate 17 of which one .end is formed with a pair of spaced curled ends 41 through which passes a pintle 43 which is supported in stationary hinge leafs 45 struck out on the underside of the tray. In this manner the brace plate 17 is hingedly attached to the tray 15.

Encircling the pintle 43 is a spring 47 of which the terminal ends 45 and 51 are arranged to engage the brace plate 17 and tray 15 respectively such that the brace plate 17 is normally urged toward the underside of the tray 15 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The free end 53 of the brace 17 is located such that when the tray 15 is moved from the non-use position to the use position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the plate slides around the curled end of the stationary hinge 25 and down the outer surface of the upright leg 21 thereby overcoming the force of the spring 47. When the free end 53 strikes the projecting lip 27, the tray 15 is firmly braced against further downward movement and remains in the position shown in Fig. 1, namely parallel with the ironing surface. In this connection it is to be observed that the brace plate 17 is secured to the tray at a point beyond the center of gravity of the iron being supported thereon. This is of significance since with brace 17 arranged in this manner not only does the brace hold the tray in its use position but it also serves to strengthen the plate such that it is feasible to use thinner gage plate stock for the tray.

To return the tray to its non-use or storage position it is merely necessary to flip the tray 15 upwardly whereupon the brace 17 slides upwardly on the upright leg Integral with the iron plate are a pair of cally when the ironing board is turned on its end for storing For the purpose of holding the plate 15 its nonuse position when the board is stored with the buttend down,

there is provided adjacent the free end of brace plate 17 -a locking pin 55. In the non-use position the locking pin 55 seats within-an opening 53 formed in the stationaryrhinge' 29. In this position the ironing board may be rested on its butt end and the iron plate 15 will be held locked in its folded over position overlying the ironing surface of the board. When it is desired to place the support 15 in its use position the brace 17 is elevated so that the locking pin 55 is disengaged from'the opening 53 whereupon the iron support 15 is moved as described above.

What I claim is:

1. An electric iron holder adapted to be attached to the edge of-an ironing board having .an ironing surface and an opposite disposed underside,-said electric iron t holder comprising an L-shaped bracket having a base leg adapted to be attached to the underside of said ironinglboard and an upright legparallel with the ironing board edge, said upright leg having a hingeextending above said ironing surface, an iron support tray hingedly attached to said hinge for movement into a non-use position overlying said ironing surface and into a use position projecting away from-said board parallel to saidironingsurface, a brace plate having one end hingedly attached to said irontsupport tray and having a free end engageable with 'said upright leg when said tra'y ismoved toward said use position, resilient means-opera"- tively'associated with said brace plate and said tray urge ing said'brace plate toward said tray, and movement limiting means on said upright leg in the path of movement' ofsaid free end of said brace for holding said tray f in said use position.

2fAnelectric iron holder adapted to be attached tothe edge of an ironing board havinga planar ironing surface and an oppositely disposed underside, said electric iron holder comprising an L shaped bracket having a base leg adapted to be attached to the underside of said ironing board and an upright leg extending parallel to the ironing board edge, said upright leg terminating in a curled stationary hinge extending above said ironing surface, an iron support tray having a partially flanged edge conforming to the contour of an'iron sole plate, hinge means complementary to said stationary hinge extending from said'tray, means turnablysecu'ring said stationary hinge and said tray hinge means so that said tray may be moved between a non-use position overlying said ironing surface and "to a use position projecting from and parallel to said ironing surface, a brace plate having one end hingedly attached to said iron support tray and having a free end engageable with said upright leg when said trayis -rnoved-toward said use position, resilient meansoperatively associated -with said strap and saidtray urging said strap toward said tray and-a -lip-.pro--' jecting-sfrom r said -upright leg in the *pathof Y movement of-said free end-of said brace for holding said tray ain said use position.

3. The-inventionas defined in'claim 2 in which 'said trayis provided with an asbestos insulating pad;

4. The invention asdefined in claim 2 in which said trayhinge'means are formed integral with-said'tray.

5. The invention as-defined in claim 2 in which said--- brace is provided with means for holding said tray lockedin said non-use positions References Cited in the file of this patent 1 UNITED-STATES PATENTS J 

